How can something be coming and
going at the same time? The idea of something always changing and yet remaining
the same seems to be an oxymoron to us. Yet that is exactly what
equilibrium is. Strictly speaking, equilibrium is defined to
be a situation in which two opposing changes are occurring at the same
rate. Chemically speaking, using Webster's words, equilibrium is
" the stage in a reversible chemical change at which the products
of the forward or direct reaction are consumed by the reverse reaction
at the same rate as they are formed." But
equilibrium is so much more than just that....
So what is it? How do we use knowledge
of equilibrium? How can this knowledge help us? Well
just don't sit there... Hop on...
